Section C·Page 16
The University Daily Kansan
Monday, August 17, 1998
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Students heed local mythology and superstitions
By Joyce Newman
Kansan staff writer
Step on a crack, and break your mother's back.
Many people also avoid walking under ladders or catching glimpses of a black cat for fear of bad luck.
At the University of Kansas, where the mascot is a mythical bird, superstitions abound.
The Jayhawk is a cross between a blue jay, a noisy quarrelsome creature known for nest robbing, and a sparrow hawk, a hunter. Created in 1848, the Jayhawk has adopted the slogan: Don't turn your back on this bird.
One of the most famous superstitions at the University involves the Campanile. The story is that if an underclassman walk through it before graduation, they will not graduate.
Another fable floating around the Campanile is that taking a date to the hill and kissing them there will ensure marriage.
Lisa Meinen, Baldwin junior, remembers hearing about the superstitions while in junior high school.
"I've known about these stories for a long time. I guess that's why I've never kissed anyone near the Campanile nor walked through it, because I haven't met anyone I want to marry and I definitely want to graduate from KU." Meinen said.
Student Ambassador coordinator Kate McGee said that one superstition that students took to heart involved the statue of former Chancellor Earnest Hiram Lindley. When students have a test in Lindley Hall, rubbing the statue's nose is believed to bring an A.
"I've known about these stories for a long time.I guess that's why I've never kissed anyone near the Campanile nor walked through it, because I haven't met anyone I want to marry and I definitely want to graduate from KU"
Lisa Meinen
Baldwin junior
"If you look at the statue, you can see that the bronze has been rubbed off of the chancellor's nose." McGee said.
Another myth is the belief that when a virgin graduates from the University, the Jayhawk in front of Strong Hall will fly away. The bird has never flown anywhere, but it did fall from it's perch last year.
The Chi Omega fountain was known for its tradition of being a dunking tank for students who turn 21. Now, however, students throw each other in on birthday days regardless of their age.
Ghost stories often are told about several local spots. One such story is the ghost of Potter Lake. It is said to be a former student who drowned.
Gertrude Sellards Pearson-Corbin Hall also is thought to be haunted. Meinen, a resident assistant at GSP-Corbin, said the north stairwell was thought to be haunted by a male student who fell out of a window.
The Campanile stands overlooking the stadium. Superstitions has it that if an under-classman walks through the Campanile, he or she will not graduate. This and other superstitions exist on campus. Photo by Joseph Griffin/kANSAN
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